


One Call Away (If Tomorrow Comes)

by CycloneRachel



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: 'so i have to write it myself', And also angst, Attempt at Humor, Gen, One Shot, Originally Posted on Tumblr, Season 3 finale spoilers, also i think this falls under the category of 'nobody else will write it', because you know me
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-31
Updated: 2018-08-31
Packaged: 2019-07-04 23:52:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 816
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15851979
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CycloneRachel/pseuds/CycloneRachel
Summary: Two and a half months after Winn leaves, his mother calls the DEO.Unfortunately for her, there's someone different on the other end.





	One Call Away (If Tomorrow Comes)

**Author's Note:**

> inspired by the newest episode of Supergirl's Attic, a new-ish Supergirl podcast you all should listen to!

He’s not supposed to be answering the phone.

In fact, Kara made it her goal to keep him away from _any_ phone- something about Mon-El’s personal experience, he gathered from her muttering to herself when she was first showing him around, and pointed out the phone nearest his desk.

(Of course, however, he’d be far better at operating the phone than Mon-El. Especially so, given the technology he was used to. But he didn’t want to contradict her, so he stayed silent.)

He didn’t know the full story, but had resolved to ask at some point later.

Moving into the chair, he grabbed the phone off its cradle and spoke into it.

“Hello?”

“Where is my son?” said the woman on the other end.

He had no idea how to answer. He did, now, work for a secret organization- there were not many people on the outside who knew of it.

“I am sorry.” He answered. “But you must have the wrong number. If you want, I can put you in contact with-“

“No, no, I checked.” She said. “He gave me his number- for his _work_ phone.”

Brainy fell silent, before thinking to ask perhaps the most important question.

“I apologize for not asking previously.” He said. “But, what is your son’s name? Perhaps I can find him-“

“It’s Winn.” She answered, slightly impatient, and that was all he needed.

“Oh.”

Now she was the one who sounded confused.

“What do you mean, ‘oh’?” she asked. “Did something happen to him? Is he dead?”

 _Jumping to the absolute worst conclusion,_ Brainy thought. _I am glad that at least I don’t have to deliver that news._

However, it was more likely than not that he’d have to lie. Which, perhaps, was worse.

“No.” he said. “Not at all.”

“That’s good.” She answered. “Where is he, then, if he’s not working at the DEO? That is his organization’s name, right?”

“Yes.” Brainy said. “And he is-“

He hesitated.

“You can tell me the truth, you know.” She answered. “I’ve been there before- worked with Winn, on some things.”

 _That was clearly while I was off on a mission with Imra,_ Brainy thought. _I should have asked him about that._

He regretted, then, that he might never get to do so again.

“You may want to sit down for this.” Brainy said. Then, hearing that she did, he continued.

“Winn is…he’s in the thirty-first century.”

“The _what_?”

Brainy tried to figure out a way to simplify things, for her.

“One thousand years in the future, a virus befalls many planets, including Earth- and it affects all artificial life, on those planets. Winn was sent to the future with several people in order to find a cure for this virus, and save all AIs from extinction.”

He left out his own relative, simply as he hadn’t explained himself yet. Hopefully, he wouldn’t have to.

“Don’t you try to make a joke out of this.” She said. “Where is he, really?”

“I am being honest.” He answered. “Winn is in the future, helping to save countless lives- you, as his mother, should be proud.”

“Believe me, I am.” She said. “But… working for a so-called "secret organization", I could deal with. How do I know, _for sure_ , he’s in the future?”

“Because I am from the future.” Brainy answered. “My name is Querl Dox, though my title is Brainiac 5- and being an AI myself, it was no longer safe for me to live there. I came back a couple months ago, in order to deliver the message to Winn, and he accepted his mission and traveled there. He is as safe as he can be, among my friends- other superheroes, from different planets, who have made it their mission to protect the Earth and cure said AIs, as well.”

“Okay, C-3PO, why didn’t you just say that?”

Brainy smiled, relieved. “I did not know you would, as my friends say, take it that well.” He answered, ignoring that she didn’t call him by his real name. “However, I am glad you did.”

“Thank you, I guess. But, just answer me one more thing.” She said. “Your friends- do they appreciate him? Does he know how important he is, to them?”

He nodded, though he knew she wouldn’t hear it.

“I would imagine he does.”

“Then that’s all _I_ wanted to hear.” She answered. “So, is this a temporary position? Is he coming back?”

“I would hope so.”

“Alright then, Squirrel- or whatever you said your name was.”

“Querl.”

“Same difference. Just, when he gets back, tell him to call me, alright?”

He didn’t want to tell her that it could, knowing the odds, very well be “if”.

“Of course I will.”

“Thanks.” She said, and he heard no more from her- although, after their conversation, he felt, strangely enough, as though he wanted to meet her in person.


End file.
